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Jim Rubino never expected to be in the music retail business. At 28, he was working as a metallurgist in the mill, playing rock 'n' roll, and "getting three hours of sleep a night." He decided to go on the road with his bass one more time, but needed a new amp. A friend recommended a retailer in Wisconsin.

Rubino bought the amp, which the man's son delivered, and Rubino soon started putting in orders for his friends-all the while never taking a cut. IN 1973, he helped arrange the purchase of a church organ, but the Wisconsin man would not ship it.

"He said, "Jim, i can't send you this organ. I have to meet you," Rubino recalls. Rubino could not imagine fitting the trip into his hectic schedule, but the man insisted, and sent a van down to pick him up. The journey changed Rubino's life.

"I met him and shook his hand. He wrote up the organ. It was a wonderful experience. And then he said, "Jim, what do you want?"

"No one ever asked you what you want in life. I'm thinking, "I don't want anything. I just want to be a rock 'n' roll musician with no responsibility. I'm having a blast."

"He said, 'Thats not true. God told me to help you open a music store.' I thought, 'God, huh? That's big.' He gave me a tremendous amount of equipment on a handshake. I was to pay him his cost when I sold each piece.

Rubino's first location was in Portage, Indiana, and measured 20 feet by 40 feet. He learned a lot from that gentleman, but nothing more important than what he calls GOLDEN RULE NUMBER ONE: Take care of all God's Churches.

It's good advice for life, yes. And Rubino has found it's good advice for business.

"It's funny how the times are changing," Rubino said. "Churches are the best gig a musician can do. That's where it's at. Churches are a great job for a musician.

"And not only DJs buy lighting. Churches buy lighting."

Rubino supplies a Living Bible program with lights and sound equipment. Some staff members are involved with church music programs. He maintains the active relationships he established with churches in Chicago. The make good customers, Rubino said.

"They're wonderful people. They appreciate your intelligence, they appreciate your honesty and your support. Once you give them good service, they stick with you forever. And they pay all their bills on time."